Legs · Barbell
Barbell Clean Grip Front Squat
How to do the barbell clean grip front squat, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Barbell
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Squat
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Rack a barbell across your front deltoids with a clean grip, fingers under the bar and elbows driven high. Squat down keeping your torso upright and elbows up, then push through your heels to stand. The clean grip keeps the bar locked on your shoulders.
- 1Your quads and core working as you sit down and stand
- 2Your elbows staying high to keep the bar from rolling
- 3A balanced position over your mid-foot
Common mistakes
- Letting your elbows drop, which pitches your chest forward
- Allowing your knees to cave in or your heels to lift
- Holding your breath; brace and breathe between reps
Muscles worked
The barbell clean grip front squat mainly works the quads and glutes, with the hamstrings, lower back, upper abs, and calves assisting.
- QuadsPrimary
- GlutesPrimary
- HamstringsSupport
- Lower BackSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- CalvesSupport
Kovo programs the barbell clean grip front squat for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More quads exercises
- How to do the resistance band squat
- How to do the resistance band squat to press
- How to do the resistance band thruster
- How to do the resistance band squat walk
- How to do the barbell squat
- How to do the barbell bulgarian split squat
Last reviewed June 2026.